Mississippi River dredging to proceed under US$32 million contract

The US Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) St Paul District has awarded a US$31.7 million contract to LS Marine of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, to conduct mechanical dredging operations in support of channel maintenance within the Mississippi River.

This work will facilitate long-term channel maintenance dredging and placement of dredged material, or river sand, for the Upper Mississippi River System nine-foot (2.7-metre) navigation channel.

Dredging will be done on parts of the Upper Mississippi River, the Minnesota River, the St Croix River, and the Black River within the St Paul District. Additional dredging of the Upper Mississippi River in the Rock Island District may also be covered.

The contract provides a minimum guarantee of US$1.25 million for two mechanical dredging plants through the end of the 2024 navigation season, with rights to exercise work options through 2029. The four additional years of maintenance dredging will ensure the navigation channel remains open for the foreseeable future.

The USACE anticipates work to begin after plant mobilisation in the coming weeks.